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Cryptic Writings

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Cryptic Writings is the seventh studio album by heavy metal band Megadeth, released in June of 1997, with a remixed and remastered version released in 2004. The album debuted at #10 on billboard top 200.

An EP with instrumental versions of five of the songs was released the following year.

Videos were made for the songs "Trust", "Almost Honest", and "A Secret Place".

"Use the Man" includes samples from the song "Needles and Pins" by The Searchers, although this was removed on the remaster.

Details

Continuing the trend from Youthanasia, Cryptic Writings features fewer songs critical of government and politics in favor of more personal songs. Megadeth's 1990s hard rock style also continues on this album. Some songs, however, recall the band's '80s thrash metal days, such as "The Disintegrators", "She-Wolf", "Vortex" and "FFF", while other songs, especially "I'll Get Even," demonstrate more creative styles. Even though this album is similar in style to Countdown to Extinction and Youthanasia, it is currently still the last Megadeth album to go platinum.

The first 500,000 copies of Cryptic Writings in the U.S. were released with silver background album cover. These releases also included a Vic Rattlehead collectable card which promoted " The Cryptic Writtings Of Megadeth" 4- issue run by CHAOS! comics. The latter U.S. pressings features the same artwork with black background album cover. The black background album cover is also featured in the remasters.

Personal relationships and how deceit can make them crumble are explored in "Trust" and "Almost Honest." Social ills like drug use ("Use the Man") and school violence ("Have Cool, Will Travel") are also covered. While songs about specific government criticisms are not included, songs like "The Disintegrators" and "FFF (Fight for Freedom)" are abstract calls for revolution and rebellion. "She-Wolf" and "Vortex" are reminiscent of the dark fantasy featured in older songs like "Five Magics" from Rust in Peace.

Instrumentally, the band introduced a more melodic mix than the previous albums. For example, A Secret Place featured a sitar, which added a more dynamic aspect to the song.

Megadeth changed management after releasing Youthanasia, hiring ESP Management. According to the liner notes of the remastered version of Cryptic Writings, Dave Mustaine had to alter many lyrics after A&R director Bud Prager, of ESP, objected. The liner notes suggest Mustaine was not a fan of the changes, but other interviews say the band actively sought and accepted Prager's advice for the album. "I figured maybe this guy (Prager) could help me get that intangible Number One record I so badly wanted," Mustaine wrote in Cryptic Writings' liner notes.

Two bonus tracks from the remastered version, "Bullprick" and "Evil That's Within," were cut because Prager objected to their lyrics, according to the liner notes. The instrumentals of "Bullprick" formed the basis of "FFF," and "Evil That's Within" became "Sin".

Track listing

All songs written by Dave Mustaine, except where noted.

  1. "Trust" (Mustaine, Friedman) – 5:12
  2. "Almost Honest" (Mustaine, Friedman) – 4:09
  3. "Use the Man" (Mustaine, Friedman) – 4:04
  4. "Mastermind" – 3:48
  5. "The Disintegrators" – 3:05
  6. "I'll Get Even" (Mustaine, Ellefson, Friedman, Brian Howe) – 4:19
  7. "Sin" (Mustaine, Menza, Ellefson) – 3:06
  8. "A Secret Place" – 5:25
  9. "Have Cool, Will Travel" – 3:40
  10. "She-Wolf" – 3:38
  11. "Vortex" – 3:23
  12. "FFF" (Mustaine, Menza, Friedman, Ellefson) – 2:47
  13. "One Thing"*

2004 Bonus Tracks

  1. "Trust" (Spanish version) (Mustaine, Friedman) – 5:12
  2. "Evil That's Within" (Mustaine, Menza, Ellefson) – 3:22
  3. "Vortex" (Alternate version) – 3:30
  4. "Bullprick" (Mustaine, Friedman, Menza, Ellefson) – 2:47
  • "One Thing" was featured on the Japanese version of the album.

Personnel

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position
1997 The Billboard 200 10

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
1997 "Almost Honest" Mainstream Rock Tracks 8
1997 "Trust" Mainstream Rock Tracks 1
1998 "Use the Man" Mainstream Rock Tracks 15
1998 "A Secret Place" Mainstream Rock Tracks 19
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